The Role of Workplace Counselling in Conflict Management: An Exploratory Study in an Indonesian Organizational Context

Abstract Book of the 12th International Conference on Business, Management and Economics

Year: 2026

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The Role of Workplace Counselling in Conflict Management: An Exploratory Study in an Indonesian Organizational Context

Oliwia Dziki

ABSTRACT:

Workplace conflict remains a challenge in organizational settings including in high-context, collectivist cultures where communication norms and social hierarchy shape how conflict is perceived and addressed. The potential of workplace counselling as a conflict management mechanism in the Indonesian organisational context remains unexplored. This qualitative pilot study explores the role of workplace counselling in conflict management within an Indonesian organizational context, with the aim of understanding how counselling functions, what barriers affect its effectiveness, and whether conflict coaching could be used alongside counselling. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview with a workplace counsellor. The findings suggest that, although counselling provides a supportive environment for employees experiencing conflict, the current structure of counselling has several limitations. The current approach of escalating conflicts to direct supervisors or managers can put employees in a hierarchical social structure at risk, which in line with collectivist cultural norms, may prevent employees from seeking help. Furthermore, the lack of a structured feedback process makes it challenging to determine whether counselling meaningfully enhances the resolution of conflicts. The counsellor interviewed also suggested that conflict coaching or training could serve as a beneficial complement, enabling employees to develop autonomous conflict resolution skills while continuing to use counselling as a means of personal empowerment. These preliminary findings highlight three key areas for improvement in Indonesian workplace counselling: establishing clear confidentiality boundaries between counsellors and management, designing services that are sensitive to collectivist face-saving norms, and implementing outcome evaluation systems to measure counselling effectiveness.

Keywords: Conflict Coaching, Employee Assistance Program, High-Context Culture, Preliminary Study, Workplace Conflict